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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22699945">Jearmintines 2020</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_MK/pseuds/Miss_MK'>Miss_MK</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>And didn’t handle the situation well., Eren is a bit violent in a flashback, Just panicky., M/M, Not a monster or anything, Past Eren/Armin - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:22:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,494</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22699945</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_MK/pseuds/Miss_MK</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This is where I’ll be posting the things I write for Jearmintines 2020!  Please enjoy them, as I have actually tried on these! I apologize in advance for the boys being awkward.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Armin Arlert &amp; Jean Kirstein, Armin Arlert/Jean Kirstein</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Jearmintines 2020</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Highschool AU!</p><p>This work specifically focuses on Jean, who at the end of his highschool career, realizes he has feelings for Armin. Armin however is in a messy relationship with Eren, and intends to go to college the following fall. With that being said, the school year is coming to its closing, and Jean needs to make a move now, rather than never.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The final senior night had rolled around. Three times during the year seniors were recognized for their participation in sports and this was the final one. Spring had finally came around, outdoor track was in full swing, and the end of Jean’s high school career was coming to a close. Everyone was making plans to move on and do different things after high school. Some were deciding which college to head off to, some were moving straight into their career, some were going to travel. Everyone seemed to have a plan.<br/>
Other than Jean.</p><p>	He’d thought about it for a long time, but while the mind’s of his classmates were being made, his was still in a fog. He had visited a couple different colleges, taken some interviews with a local floral shop and a library, but nothing proved to pull Jean in any specific direction. The only thing he was honestly able to focus on was the fact that everything around him was going to change.</p><p>Marco was going to travel with his family for the summer and take a gap semester before jumping into college. Reiner and Bert had decided to attend the same university after they were both offered a scholarship during their indoor track season. Annie is moving back home with her father for a while before deciding what she wants to do. Sasha had inherited a small farm in town and was going to continue the care for it once school was out. After Connie heard about Sasha’s plan to stay home Connie proposed to Sasha and the two of them intended to start careers here at home. Historia got a scholarship for her cheerleading, and Ymir followed Historia. Mikasa was going to follow Eren, who had decided to attend college. </p><p>And of course Armin was going to go to college. Jean actually hadn’t spoke to Armin much about his plans for after school. However a few weeks prior he had heard Eren and Mikasa cheer for Armin in the hall when he received an acceptance letter to a university Jean hadn’t ever heard of. To Jean, that meant the university was likely far away, probably a great school, but far away. Since then, Jean has sort of been trying to accept the changes that come with graduating. Jean and Armin had grown close these past two years, and Jean actually had started to have feelings for the boy. However, Jean assumed it wasn’t worth telling Armin how he felt, when Armin would have to leave in August. Not only that but Eren and Armin were sort of an on and off thing. It was hard to have any clue of when things were going to be good for those two. The only real indicator would be Armin quietly eating his lunch, with a red stain at the edges of his eyes, while Eren enjoyed the attention of others at lunch. It drove Jean crazy. After one of the nastier fights Armin had called Jean on the phone and wanted to talk about what was going on.</p><p>“He actually, like..hit me.” Armin stated plainly. Although the two of them couldn’t see each other face to face, Jean could hear a tremor in the other boys voice. Jean’s neck turned cold as his blood ran hot, all in one instant.</p><p>“What do you mean he hit you..!”</p><p>“Well…The two of us were eating at my house, I made noodles with an Alfredo sauce, he had gotten some on his chin..and, listening to what I did next makes me feel like I was being stupid, but I reached over to wipe it off and I noticed a spot on his neck at the same time. I was afraid the spot was a hickey, because we don’t do that sort of thing, I changed course and went to reach for the spot instead, and he saw me open my mouth to ask him what it was, and he sort of.. smacked me in the mouth… then he left. I could tell by the look on his face he hadn’t meant to do it, and he looked guilty…and… He’s not the first person to hit me of course, I have had my fair share of fights..but it’s Eren…”</p><p>The two of them didn’t speak, and then soft sobs were emitted by the smaller boy.<br/>
“He knew what I was thinking..I may have been stupid to have thought that, and even if he was cheating on me, I’m the one who doesn’t want to have sex..Maybe I am asking him for too much.”<br/>
The boys sobs grew louder and Jean sat on his bed, mouth agape. He pictured Eren, shoving Armin away and swatting at him, before sprinting out of his house. Eren already got on Jean’s nerves, knowing this about Eren just frustrated Jean further.</p><p>“Armin, no, this isn’t your fault, Eren has no fucking right to put his hands on you. Do you hear me? You are worth so much more than that.. Even if it doesn’t ‘count’ there’s no reason for him to touch you like that.” Jean felt his throat tighten, as the boy continued to cry.</p><p>That night ended with the two of them staying on the phone for a while. Armin eventually calmed down a bit and Jean offered to keep the call going on all night, that way Armin could sleep, but if he woke up, he would have someone to talk to.</p><p> </p><p>“Jean...” A cool voice called, breaking Jean from his thoughts.</p><p>“Yes Coach Levi?” Jean looked up from his cleat bag to see a short and stoic man.</p><p>“You’re in the 4x4 today. It’s your last meet as a senior, your times have been improving, don’t fuck it up.”</p><p>“Thank you Coach.. um, but what about the A Team?” Jean pictured the A Team, it already consisted of Bert, Marco ,Eren… and a freshman Jean didn’t care to remember the name of.</p><p>“Floch DQ’d in the open… I’m not rewarding him for that shit performance. You’re anchor now. You should get warmed up.”</p><p>“Alright, thank you coach.” Jean nodded his head at Coach Levi, and Levi smiled a bittersweet smile back at him before walking away. This was really it. The last time he’d run on this track, the last time he’d get to sit on the grass turf with his friends. Jean had known these changes were coming, but they only seemed to feel real these last few weeks. </p><p>Marco jogged up to Jean, his jersey on and ready to warm up. “Hey Jean I heard you’re in the 4x4 with me!” </p><p>Jean nodded “Yeah, I heard that first year DQ’d. What’s up with that?”</p><p>“I don’t know, freshmen am I right?” Marco shrugged and the two of them laughed, “Ready to warm up?”</p><p>“Yeah...I have a question for you.” Jean slipped his sweatshirt and sweatpants off, leaving his track jersey and shorts.</p><p>“What’s that?” Marco asked, still jogging in place.</p><p>“Do you think about what it’s going to be like once this is all over?”</p><p>“Like when we die!?” Marco asked, a surprised look on his face.</p><p>“Tch, no man. I mean highschool. Everyone we have ever known is going to go off in their own separate direction, and now, everything is different. Once we leave we can’t come back either…Nothing will be the same.”</p><p>“Haha, of course I do Jean. We all do, the most of us however have tried to make plans to create goals for ourselves, changes are easier when you’re not solely focusing on the fact that the things around you are changing. I know you haven’t really decided on anything yet, but why don’t you take a gap year off with me? Once my gap year is over I’m going to a branch in the next town over. The tuition is cheaper and the name on your diploma doesn’t say you went to the branch. Not only that but that’s where Armin’s going too.” Marco smiled slyly.</p><p>“Armin?” Jean pictured the blonde and his smile that felt shy and bubbly at the same time.</p><p>“Yeah, Armin actually got accepted to the main campus, however he wanted to stay close to his grandpa, so he’s going to be living at home while going to school. Don’t tell him I said anything to you though, he’s trying to keep it a secret that he was accepted to the main campus, he thinks his grandpa would just die if he knew, he would feel like he’s holding Armin back. Not only that, but Armin would be closer to Eren too if he stays here.” Marco was Jeans long time best friend, but out of respect for Armin, Jean had chose to never tell Marco about what had happened that one night a few months back.</p><p>Jean nodded. The two of them continued with their warm up, high knees from one side of the turf, lunges on the way back. The whole time Jean pictured the blonde, he was the only senior in their group of friends to not participate in track, therefore, missing the final senior night. Jean thought hard for a moment, trying to recall if Armin had been acknowledged at all this year. That brilliant boy.</p><p>The sun hung a bit lower in the sky as the 4x4 approached. Students, Parents and Staff alike began to gather around the perimeter of the track, ready to cheer for their students.</p><p>Coach Hange called for the seniors to gather in a circle. Hange was the Distance coach, they had ran distance their whole life, and participated on the sidelines from time to time. Jean looked around the circle and noted that the sprinter and field event coach, Levi and the throwing coach, Erwin had all made themselves present.</p><p>“Tonight was a very special night for you all,” Hange started. “I would just like to be the first to note you have all done amazing things for this school. You all have made an impression on the students younger than you. I’m happy to have been a part of your high school experience. I wish all of you luck for your futures. As the distance coach I need to congratulate Bert on his full ride scholarship to Sina University due to his dedication to both track and cross country.” Hange smiled bitter sweetly, and a couple of the seniors got misty eyed. Jean looked around at the others, oh, it was just Marco and Historia crying.</p><p>Erwin then stepped forward. “I’d also like to congratulate you on your excellence. You’re all a fine group of students, it will be incredibly difficult to replace any of you, to have leaders like any of you, or to have meet days be the same without any of you.” </p><p>Jean swallowed hard in his throat, and looked at the rest of the group. A few more were pulled to tears.</p><p>Erwin continued, “I however have, of course, worked closer with my throwers. Where ya at throwers?”</p><p>Reiner basically screamed, that was the joke, Reiner was the only fucking thrower.</p><p>Erwin smiled. “Congratulations Reiner on your scholarship to Sina University.”</p><p>Reiner and Bert looked at each other and smiled hard. Jean admired those two, so confident in what they had. They had each other and were able to depend on each other. </p><p>Levi finally stepped forward. “I don’t have anything particularly special to say. You were all exemplary students. You all have pushed yourself to be better than yesterday, I appreciate that. We’re asked to hold these meets due to the fact that this school is notorious for good character. I’d like to ask us all to join hands and pray together. If you don’t believe in that sort of thing, feel free to open your eyes and make silly faces at anyone else with their eyes open.”</p><p>A couple of students giggled and a short prayer was said.</p><p>“Oh, and one last thing, get out there and cheer for our 4x4 teams. It’s the last event of the night. Afterwards head up to the showers and ready yourself for the banquet. Parents need to line up outside the gym at 6:30.”</p><p> Jean looked at Marco, who flashed a smile back at Jean. He had obviously been crying, but was rekindled in a way.</p><p>“Ready Jeanie?”</p><p>“As ready as I’ll ever be.”</p><p>The first leg of the 4x4 was Bert. He was the first leg due to his super long ass legs, one lap around the track was nothing for Bert.</p><p>The ref called down<br/>
“Runners, down on your blocks…ready….set..”</p><p>BANG</p><p>Bert was off, easily able to outrun the other first legs, due to his long legs. Sasha and Connie were screaming for Bert as Marco readied himself to be handed the baton.</p><p>The baton was handed without a hitch, and Marco bolted as quickly as he could to keep their standing in first place. However, Marco was not able to quite keep that pace. Annie and Reiner were screaming for Marco, as Bert stood beside them looking a bit tired.</p><p>Eren readied himself to be handed the baton, and as you would expect Eren runs like a bat out of hell. However, he runs out of stamina towards the end of his lap. Jean can feel his blood go cold, realizing the race is coming down to the wire, Jean will decide if they’re able to come through in the 4x4 or not. Mikasa’s screaming for Eren drowns out Jeans thoughts, and he awaits the baton.</p><p>Everything after that was sort of a flash, not a blur, but a flash. Jean can feel the other runners at his heels, there’s no way he can finish in first, but he wanted this to feel like something. A last ditch attempt at meaning something. Recognition, anything, one last impression. After a few moments, he finished.<br/>
He walked off the track, and whited out.</p><p>“Wake up!” Jean came to with a freezing splash of water to his face. Eren and Marco at his sides.<br/>
“Eren!” Marco yelled. “I said GIVE him the water!”<br/>
“I did.” Eren chuckled. “Nice job horse face, you did it. You finished in first.” Eren handed Jean the water bottle, which Jean chugged the rest, without hesitation. He then felt the urge to strangle Eren, however, he abstained.</p><p>“Everyone came to congratulate you, but you have been out for a minute, and the girls just finished their 4x4, also finishing first, so everyone’s sorta preoccupied..” Marco smiled and Jean nodded.<br/>
Eren stood. “I need to say congratulations to Mikasa, she’ll act weird if she thinks I forgot. Bye Marco.”</p><p>Jean nodded his head slowly, thinking about Eren and Mikasa, that comment Eren just made. Everything sinking in, but smiled at Marco “Alright well…wanna go get ready for the banqu-“</p><p>“Jean!” </p><p>Jean turned quickly to see the blonde he had been thinking of earlier, come barreling up to him.<br/>
“Are you alright? I was watching the girls 4x4 when Reiner told me you passed out at the end of your leg. What happened?” The boys hair bounced with each step, the color sort of resembling sunflowers. When he finally held still his mouth opened a bit, Jean took a moment to appreciate the boys lips, and his buttony nose.</p><p>Marco pat Jean’s shoulder. “I have to use the bathroom, I’ll catch you guys later.” Marco scampered off toward the locker rooms, following Bert, Reiner and Annie. Jean nodded at Marco, and secretly praised for this moment alone with Armin. The boys eyes had a glow of dread to them, his question having not been answered.</p><p>“I’m fine, I just haven’t ever ran the 400 that fast.. I think I pushed myself a little too hard, but I’m alright. Say, I didn’t know you came to track meets?” Jean smirked a little and noticed a change in the shorter boys face.</p><p>Armin pursed his lips for a second before speaking. “Actually that’s likely because I don’t normally come. However I am an assistant to Hange this year and I am in charge of something special for the banquet tonight. I came a little early, and was able to catch Mikasa in the 4x4. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to see you run as well, Marco told me you would be running, so I had hoped to be here in time to see it. However that wasn’t the case.” He smiled sheepishly.</p><p>“That’s alright. That’s still cool that you came at all, but uh, you weren’t already going to come for Eren?” Jean made a face that indicated he wasn’t sure if it was alright to ask that question.<br/>
Armin shook his head slowly. “No, um. He doesn’t seem to mind if I don’t come, so uh..ya know.”</p><p>A familiar silence fell into the air.</p><p>“What’s the something special for the banquet?”</p><p>“Oh!” Armin’s eyes lit up, “I can’t really tell you but you will know soon!”</p><p>Jean was about to pretend pout, which always worked on Armin, but the boy interrupted that thought. He had looked down at his watch and must have gotten a text.<br/>
“I actually need to get going. I’ll see you at the banquet.” Armin grinned quickly at the taller boy before bouncing off again towards the school.<br/>
God Jean loved his hair.</p><p>At 6:30, As requested of them, Jean and his mother lined up outside the gym. Each senior walked in with their parents or guardian, a list of their high school accomplishments were read, and then a representative from groups the seniors participated in were handing out small memorial gifts.</p><p>As Jean walked out with his mom, Armin came up to Jean with two bags. “This one is given to you on behalf of Coach Hange, Levi and Erwin.  The other is from me..” Jeans mom smiled at Armin and held one of the bags for Jean, who then smiled at Armin. “Thank you so much.”<br/>
“It’s no problem.”</p><p>The rest of the students were handed bags from their respective groups, and a final applause was given to the entire class. </p><p>“Mom are you staying for the basketball game? They’re having seniors play the staff,I’m not playing though, so I wasn’t sure what your plans were.”</p><p> “I’m gunna head home and make dinner, when should I expect you?”</p><p>“Hm.. Is eight alright?”</p><p>“That’s fine, should I Expect to be feeding any..friends?” She smiled mischievously to Jean.</p><p>“..No mom, thank you mom, goodbye mom.” Jean huffed and rolled his eyes. The woman laughed,<br/>
“Alright honey, I’ll see you at home.”</p><p>“I love you,see you soon.”</p><p>The two hugged and parted ways, his mom carrying the bags from before.  Jean headed back towards the gym, where he caught the blonde from his thoughts scampering off from the far off exit of the gym, down the hall and into the rest of the school.</p><p>‘That’s odd.” Jean thought, the rest of the school is off limits, other than the band room due to the pep band. Which Armin was not involved with this year…or regular marching band. Not the point.</p><p>Jean shrugged and decided to follow the blonde boy on his little adventure, staying a gracious distance behind the blonde, as to not be caught. Armin ended up walking to the other side of the school, then into the band room. Jean caught the band door right before it was completely shut, due to the noise it made.</p><p>“Hey what’s a beautiful guy like you doing in a…Band room like this?” Jean smirked at Armin who turned sharply, tears in his eyes.</p><p>“Oh no, hey, why are you crying? If it’s because of my terrible jokes, i’ll try to get some help.” </p><p>Armin’s breathing hitched. “Hah no, that’s not why…I feel stupid that you caught me crying, I came here to specifically be alone..”</p><p>Jean bit at his cheek, “Do you want me to leave? I’m here to talk if you need someone.”</p><p>“You’re already here. Might as well, uh, follow me.” Armin walked to a blue set of stairs in the band room, which led to a bit of an attic. Armin then sat, next to box after box of old sheet music, band shoes, and flags for the color guard.  Jean followed suit and sat across from the smaller boy. Armin sat with his arms crossed, and his knees up to his chest. A familiar red flush around his eyes.</p><p>A familiar silence fell between the two of them.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Jean asked with a calmness that he didn’t often poses in his voice.</p><p>“Ugh,.. I’m sad. I feel so stupid. I..” He paused, closing his eyes hard, rearranging his thoughts.</p><p>“Eren had cheated on me. I was right, when I saw that mark. Um. Him and Mikasa got together, it was a drunken mistake. Which I can accept.”</p><p> Jeans face filled with disgust. He opened his mouth, and Armin then continued.</p><p>“However him hitting me was not a drunken mistake. He apologized and we agreed that it was better for us to not be together, he said he loves me a lot. However he knows what he did was so wrong and he asked me to maybe one day forgive him, and if I ever needed anything I could still come to him, but for right now we need space and when its time to get closure and talk we can do that.” </p><p>Armin sighed. “I can’t believe I was right… I can’t believe of all the people who could hurt me like this, that it would be Mikasa and Eren. I congratulated her at the end of the 4x4, and she didn’t act like anything was wrong. But she knew damn well something was wrong..”</p><p>“I cant believe he fucked Mikasa.” Jean thought, looking dazed and mentally drooling over Mikasa. </p><p>“I’m sorry Armin. I’m glad he apologized to you and that he said he still wanted to be your friend, I know you love him a lot..” He trailed off and Armin cried silently into his shirt. </p><p>“You deserve someone better than that though, and Eren might be a great friend, I wouldn’t know I PERSONALLY hated him the second I saw him holding your hand..”</p><p> Jean blushed madly, once he realized what he had said, but continued quickly to draw attention from his last statement. </p><p>“Regardless its obvious that you two just weren’t good for each other, and sometimes that happens. Marco and I dated one time ya’ know.”</p><p>“What! Really I didn’t know that, and It didn’t work out for you guys, why?” The blonde stopped crying, but Jean knew this was temporary. Once the gate breaks for Armin it’s a build up of months previous.</p><p>“Well, honestly, It just made sense for us to be friends. We loved the company of the other person in a way that we knew was love..but.. all loves feel different you know? The love of parents and grandparents isn’t the same as a boyfriend which isn’t the same as a friend, which isn’t the same as a childhood friend. It’s all so different and we knew our love wasn’t meant to be…,ya know, soulmate love.”</p><p>“Hm..” Armin hummed, “I didn’t know that.”</p><p>“I also wasn’t out then so that probably had something to do with it.” Jean laughed a bit. Armin smiled softly, his eyes changing back to a cooler blue.</p><p>“I’m happy for you Armin, things are about to change for you in so many ways, you don’t need things from this life holding you back anyways, you’re about to go to college and you’re so smart, you’re going to do amazing things, and I know you. Stretch yourself so thin you wouldn’t have time to care for your Grandpa, and Eren and School.”</p><p>Oh no. Grandpa, that might not have been a good thing to mention. Damn it Jean, know your audience!</p><p>“Right..Part of me too wanted to hide and cry because tonight was senior night. I don’t care about the superficial part of being worshiped because we’re seniors because, oH my god. Everyone gets a senior year, you’re not special you don’t have to be an asshole. Anyways, I saw everyone up their with their parents… And as you know I don’t have..my parents. I have grandpa, thank god. But this just made me miss my parents ya know? They wont get to see any of this stuff with me, They didn’t get to see me off to my middle school dances, homecomings, proms, senior night, graduation, move in day to a dorm or my first house, or meet my husband, go to my wedding, give me away, meet my kids, see my kids graduate, see my kids get married-“ </p><p>Armin ran out of breath and had tears in his eyes. “You get my point.” He chuckled, and pulled his legs closer to his chest, trying to hold in his tears. “I feel like everything is sort of, just falling apart all at once.”</p><p>Jeans throat felt tight, he couldn’t imagine the pain Armin felt. He opened his arms to Armin. “I don’t know if this will help, but I’m not good with my words, and I don’t know how else to be here for you.”<br/>
Armin smiled through his tears and brought himself to Jean, squeezing him tightly before beginning to giggle and cry. Jean too began to giggle, and held Armin tightly in return.</p><p>They sat like this for a time, until Armin could finally speak, “I wish things didn’t have to change..”</p><p>“Me either.”</p><p>The two eventually pulled away, it was 7:45, and Jean needed to get headed home.</p><p>“Hey mom is making dinner tonight, would you like to come over for the night?” Jean smiled sheepishly and blushed lightly at the suggestion.</p><p>Armin’s cheeks light up like the redness beside his eyes “Yes, if your mom doesn’t mind?”</p><p>“Not at all. Cmon, lets go before some one thinks we snuck up here to do the nasty.”<br/>
Armin laughed and took Jean’s hand.</p><p>Jean quickly whipped out his phone and sent a message to his mom.</p><p>“Alright fine…1 friend.”</p><p>On the drive home Jean’s phone vibrated</p><p>“Who’s it from ?” Jean took a quick glance at Armin.</p><p>“It’s from your mom, she asked ‘The Cute one?’ With a winky emoji.”</p><p>Armin blushed and Jean followed suit.</p><p>“Um..should I answer her for you?”</p><p>“Yeah, if she doesn’t get an answer she’ll worry.”</p><p>“What do I say..?”</p><p>“Uh..you can say Yes.” Jean looked at Armin and the two locked eyes for a moment, before Jean returned his focus to the road.</p><p>The three of them sat and had dinner, Armin complimented the cooking, and asked for the recipe so he could make it for his grandpa sometime. Mrs.Kirstein revealed it was a family recipe , only Kirsteins could learn the recipe. Armin smiled. </p><p>“Haha, alright. Well who knows, maybe someday.”Jean then choked quietly for a moment.</p><p>The rest of the meal was Armin and Jean’s mom talking about school politics, vacationing spots, and a little bit about armin’s Grandpa. The meal had ended and Mrs.Kirstein had shown Armin where the shower was. Jean picked out some smaller clothing the boy could borrow for the night. A pair of grey sweatpants along with a maroon t-shirt. This ought to work, he figured. He then found himself picturing the smaller boy just in the maroon t-shirt and without the sweatpants. He shook his head before returning out to the hallway where Armin was getting the rundown of the shower. </p><p>“Alright boys I’m heading off to bed. Thank you Armin for joining us for dinner.” Mrs.Kirsten smiled at the blonde boy.</p><p>Armin grinned, “Thank you for having me Mrs.Kirstein. I’ve appreciated your hospitality.” Mrs.Kirstein padded off towards her bedroom and then Jean turned to Armin, shirt and sweats in hand. </p><p>“I’m not sure how well these things will fit you Armin, but this is what I have.” A pink flush covered the taller boys cheeks.</p><p>“That’s fine Jean, thank you. I’ll meet you back in your room once I’m done?”<br/>
“Yeah that’s fine..” The two stood awkwardly for a moment before Armin turned and made his way into the bathroom.</p><p>Jean returned to his bedroom before laying down on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling, thinking about what him and Armin had spoken about earlier. </p><p>“As much as I dislike Eren, I can’t really picture him having done that to Armin. I just don’t see how you could fuck up that bad when you’re with someone like him. Armin’s so sweet, and he always has good intentions. I just don’t get it.” Jean shrugged to himself. </p><p>After a moment of sitting at his bed, Jean got up and picked out some clothes for himself to wear after his shower. He then sat them next to the bags he was handed earlier this evening. He started to go through the bag Hange had prepared. He assumed Armin was supposed to pass the bags out because some of the coaches were busy walking kids through senior night. Jean recalled Hange walking Sasha out tonight, she and her family hadn’t been getting along well since Connie and her got engaged.  </p><p>Jean pulled an envelope of photos from the bag. He opened the envelope and started skimming through the photos. He smiled hard, seeing photos of Coach Levi wearing Eren’s Jersey during the normal school day, after losing a bet the two made. A photo of himself running during practice, with an awful look on his face.  A selfie Sasha took of Jean and Connie curled up together on a bus ride home. A photo of Jean and Marco flexing in line for pole vault. </p><p>Armin opened the door to Jeans room and popped himself inside before shutting the door.</p><p>“Hey I see you are finally getting around to those. Are you still opening the Coaches’ bag?”</p><p>“Yeah” Jean smiled. “These are really awesome. Did you help make these or did you just pass them out?”</p><p>“I helped people find photos to have developed, and in some instances I edited the photos so they were functional. I asked people to send pictures in, and in some cases I just got on people’s phones and found pictures that were good to share. I actually went on your phone, Annie’s phone, and Connie’s phone. Did you know Connie doesn’t believe in ‘my eyes only’ on Snapchat.” Armin cringed, then giggled.</p><p>“What!” Jean said before laughing.</p><p> “What did you see?”</p><p>“Shit I can’t UNSEE.” He laughed along with Jean for a moment. “So , once you’re done are you gunna open mine?”</p><p>“Actually I  think I’ll wait to look at all of these pictures, and I’ll open yours now.” Jean smirked a bit at the shorter boy, who smiled in return.</p><p>Jean opened Armin’s bag and pulled out a mason jar. Filled with pieces of paper.</p><p>“Aw.. 365 reasons you love me?” Jean mocked.</p><p>“Oh stop.” Armin grinned and pushed Jean’s shoulder. “They’re my favorite memories of us. They might take a while to read, but I thought too it would be cool to open one every once in a while when you start missing what it was like to be in highschool.”</p><p>“That’s really sweet Armin, thank you.” Jean sat the jar in his lap popped the lid off. “Just one.”</p><p>Armin nodded.</p><p>“Remember Sophomore year when you accidentally poured your Gatorade on me in choir and you insisted that I ‘get even’ so the next day you brought a Gatorade and wore a white t shirt for me to ruin. That was awesome.” Jean read aloud before smiling at the paper. He looked up to Armin, whose eyes looked icy, but not in a cool standoffish way.</p><p>“This is really sweet thank you. I’m going to miss getting to see you everyday. I might go through these faster than you think I should.” </p><p>The two boys stared for a minute, before Jean looked away. </p><p>“I better hop in the shower. I wouldn’t want you to have to sleep next to someone smelly. Oh uh, you don’t have to sleep next to me though. I can sleep on the floor or in the living room, it’s just sort of drafty in the living room and I just assumed I’d be in here because I thought we could watch a movie but either way it-”</p><p>“It’s okay.” Armin held up his hand with a nervous look on his face. “I don’t mind sleeping next to you. A movie sounds nice. I’ll wait here.”</p><p>Jean nodded out of embarrassment before heading off to the shower.</p><p>“So what movie do you have in mind Jeanie?” Armin asked the taller boy as he crawled into bed. Armin had already hooked up their phones to chargers and the two were set for the night.</p><p>“Weeell, I actually had three in mind, and I was going to let you pick. You’re a very dreamy person so I assumed Disney movies were kind of your thing.” Jean took his Xbox remote, signed into his account, and opened Disney+.</p><p>“Really? I haven’t really ever seen Disney movies. I saw Beauty and the Beast when I was a kid but that’s it.”</p><p>“NO WAY, you’re joking right? Everybody is going crazy right now with the Disney + stuff how could you not have seen them ?”</p><p>Armin rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually, Mikasa really likes the Disney movies, her and Eren watched them together a lot, but Eren never actually asked me if I was interested in watching them, and I thought he would tell me they’re for girls, so I never felt like it was worth asking. Mikasa and Eren are actually going to Disney together as a gift from their parents…for..graduating.”<br/>
Armin sighed hard before flopping backwards into his pillow.</p><p>Jean cringed. “I’m sorry Arm.”</p><p>“It’s alright, I think you’re maybe right about all love being sort of different. I think Eren and I were just meant to be friends…Ya know I always knew Mikasa liked Eren, and Eren was sort of blind to it. Maybe this is how they learn they’re meant for each other ya know? Besides, as much as I love Eren, I know we don’t really want the same things in life, and he isn’t the best at understanding other people. It was an easy fighting topic when we were together… and besides and least we weren’t having sex and THEN I found out what was going on.”</p><p>Jean smiled softly and patted Armin’s hand , which was laying next to him. He didn’t have a clue on what to say, but he knew Armin didn’t expect him to say anything.</p><p>“Anyways which movies did you have in mind?”</p><p>“Well, I know how much you have talked about wanting to see the Ocean, and I had two solid ideas and then one not as good idea. First, the Disney movie ‘Moana’ featuring a Polynesian? Princess who has a dream of sailing, however her whole family holds her back until she finally learns sailing is what will save her family. Which there is an awesome resort in DisneyWorld called the ‘Polynesian’ it’s so pretty, I intend to stay there one day. Then, the Disney film ‘The Little Mermaid’ who is basically the opposite of you, a girl who wants to live on land to be with the man she loves, but again her entire family fears for her safety as she nears humans. Fiiinally, Frozen. Frozen features two sister princesses who lose touch with each other at a young age, and once one of them is forced to become queen, she needs to face all the issues she has had pent up inside, which come out in..the form of ice.”</p><p>Armin made a face, “They all sound good..it’s hard to choose..”</p><p>“Well whichever one we don’t watch tonight we can watch tomorrow after breakfast..and I’ll watch these with you all summer until you have seen all the Disney movies if you want to. Even the Star Wars movies!”</p><p>The shorter boy beamed. “Haha, alright then..Well.. I actually have heard some good things about Rapunzel.. um can we watch that one first?”</p><p> Jean nodded. “Sure, you’d love that one too I’m sure. It’s called ‘Tangled’ just…so you know.” He felt a bit stupid for saying that so matter of factly, he kinda has been trying to grow out of that.</p><p>Armin nodded, not seeing an issue. He wiggled under the covers as Jean typed in ‘t a n’ in order to find the movie.</p><p>The two got comfortable and Jean put his arm around Armin’s shoulder, who seemed to jump initially at the feeling, but seemed to soften into it and lean in Jeans direction. Jean’s heart beat in his throat, he felt the smaller boy slowly melt closer to him, and by the first song the two couldn’t be all that much closer.</p><p>Jean hated to interrupt, but he felt it was necessary. “Armin?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Is this all too much?”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Uh, just, with you and Eren.. and like, I just, I wouldn’t normally have a night like this with Connie or Marco..ya know?”</p><p>The blonde nodded. “I don’t think Eren and I were meant to be together. I’ve known this for a while. I accepted it shortly after the incident. I’ve had the time I need…Thank you Jean.” </p><p>Armin looked up at the taller boy. He sat up, and away from Jean for a moment. Jean sort of frowned, wondering what Armin was going to say next. Armin made a determined face before taking a deep breath. </p><p>He leaned in towards Jean and Jean sealed the distance between the two of them. The two kissed, soft and sweet. The two seemed to hold each other’s arms for , according to Armin, what felt like an eternity. Jean moved from being at Armin’s elbows, to holding Armin’s sweaty hands before pulling back. Armin was stiff from embarrassment and looked away from Jean.</p><p>“You don’t do that with Connie and Marco right?”</p><p>Jean laughed at Armin’s question, “Of course not! But,..um. I have wanted to do that with you for a long time.”</p><p>“Me too.” Armin smiled sheepishly and his face was warm, however it was too dark in Jean’s room for the two of them to tell what color Armin’s cheeks were.</p><p>Jean kissed Armin’s hands. “Let’s not miss anymore of the movie. You were so excited to watch it.”</p><p>The smaller boy nodded, still red with embarrassment. Armin went back to his initial position, leaning into Jean, with Jeans arm around him.</p><p>The night was going to be long, Jean thought, and he was going to soak up every second of it.</p>
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